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other states have passed similar measures, Russell said.
• He noted that a man delivering pizzas in Rapid City a few years ago likely saved his own life by pulling a gun when he was attacked by people who had ordered a pizza. The pizza business then fired the man because he had violated company policy by carrying the gun, Russell said.
• The South Dakota bill would have required the guns in vehicles parked on company property to be locked out of sight. Any employee fired for having a legal gun in a vehicle could have sued the business to regain employment and lost wages.
• Lobbyists for a number of business organizations opposed the bill. Many said the measure would create problems for companies with federal contracts that forbid guns at those companies' worksites.
• "We think we're in the best position to make these decisions, not the Legislature," said Kitty Kinsman, representing the Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce.
• But Rep. Stace Nelson, R-Fulton, said the U.S. Constitution's Bill of Rights guarantees that an individual's rights take precedence over business rights.
• "We want to disarm law-abiding Americans? Why?" Nelson said.
• Rep. Scott Parsley, D-Madison, said he opposed the bill because supporters have pointed to few problems arising from bans on guns in parking lots.
• "I think we have a solution looking for a problem that doesn't seem to exist," Parsley said.
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How the health overhaul law affects South Dakota
CHET BROKAW,Associated Press
• PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- A look at how the new federal health insurance law will affect South Dakota:
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• How many people are uninsured in South Dakota?
• About 105,000 people, or about 13 percent of South Dakota's population, didn't have health insurance in 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. But state officials say that based on a state survey, the number of uninsured now is actually 71,000, or about 9 percent. The Affordable Care Act seeks to reduce the number of uninsured by providing government subsidies to some workers who can't afford insurance and by requiring people with higher incomes to get health insurance through online marketplaces, called exchanges, where people and businesses can shop among competing plans. The federal government is also pushing states to expand their Medicaid programs, which provide health care for the poor, but the ex (Continued on page 22)
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